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Assisted Living Alternatives
That Keep Aging Parents Close
by
Mary Turner, The Huffington Post
May 14, 2012
The Inspired
In-Law Cottage is one type of ADU on the
market today.
Although "aging in place" may
be the preferred option for seniors,
declining health and physical
limitations often preclude this option.
But an assisted living facility doesn't
always need to be the next step for your
aging parents.
The “transitional home”
phenomenon is a growing trend in senior
housing. It’s essentially a more
affordable alternative to assisted
living in the form of a small structure
erected in the backyard of adult
children or other primary caregivers,
complete with all the amenities aging
parents might need. Known more broadly
as "accessory dwelling units" (ADUs),
this happy compromise allows seniors to
maintain their independence, while their
children are still on hand to keep an
eye on them.
It turns out there are quite a
few of these ADUs, or "granny pod"-type
products on the market, such as the
"pre-fabricated and kit-built
environmentally-friendly homes and
accessory dwelling units" by FabCab; the
Inspired In-Law Cottage by Larson Shores
Architects; and the Practical Assisted
Living Structures by Rockfall Company
LLC, which has already constructed 10 of
its units in the Northeast, according to
The New York Times.
Another entry to the market,
MEDCottage, seems to be unique among
ADUs for its high degree of technical
sophistication to accommodate the frail
or infirm. It offers additional safety
features such as rubber floors and a
monitoring system (and, with a cost of
$85,000 brand new, a much higher price
tag). The first MEDCottage was unveiled
in 2010, but will have its first
real-world test this month, according to
The New York Times.
Of course, if caregivers are
willing to make the investment,
remodeling their home to accommodate
their aging parents is also an option.
With a first-floor bedroom and grab bars
in the bathroom in place, seniors
needing additional care can move right
in.
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